About Lanikai:

Starting in the 1920s, the ukulele gained popularity as performers such as Johnny Marvin, Roy “Wizard of the Strings” Smeck and Cliff “Ukulele Ike” Edwards featured the instrument in vaudeville acts and recordings. By this time, mainland guitar producers were mass-producing ukuleles by the thousands. Martin, for example, started producing during this time and based their design on the Nunes models. During this time, ukulele tablature (rather than guitar) was printed for all of the popular songs of the time, so the ukulele was seen as an easily accessible instrument.

Over the decades, other artists in a variety of genres have embraced the ukulele. George Harrison of The Beatles was an avid ukulele player. He grew up learning to play the uke, inspired by George Formby, a British ukulele player. Today, the ukulele renaissance is in full swing. With popular tracks such as “Hey Soul Sister” by Train prominently featuring the ukulele, Lanikai expects the ukulele to move more and more into the mainstream, which they couldn’t be happier to report.

Lanikai is proud to be part of the ukulele’s rich tradition. The company was founded in October of 2000. The LU-21 Soprano Ukulele was the first Lanikai ukulele ever to be introduced to the public. Shortly after its arrival, due to popular demand, Lanikai created the LU-21P Soprano Pineapple. Whatever your personal style or musical preference, Guitar Center and Lanikai have what you need to start your journey into the world of ukulele.